Garden Pests in New Zealand: A Popular Manual for Practical Gardeners, Farmers and SchoolsMiller, David
Philosophy
Garden Pests in New Zealand: A Popular Manual for Practical Gardeners, Farmers and Schools
Miller, David
Agricultural pests; Beneficial insects; Insect pests; Insects -- New Zealand
Woodlice hibernate under any convenient shelter; in the spring, eggs
are produced and carried by the female on the under side of the body
until the young woodlice hatch. During growth the cuticle or shell is
periodically cast, and a freshly-moulted woodlouse is white in colour.
The best method of control is garden sanitation, all rubbish likely
to harbour the woodlice being removed. Since they are nocturnal, the
woodlice can be trapped by means of moss laid on the ground; the moss
in which the woodlice have taken shelter is collected during the day
and burned, or immersed in hot water to kill the animals, when it can
be used again. Some good results have been secured by means of sliced
potatoes dipped in arsenate of lead or Paris green; the potatoes are
placed within reach of the woodlice, which are attracted to and feed
upon the poisoned bait. Horse manure should not be used in seed beds
likely to be infested by woodlice.
Millepedes.
Millepedes are short, worm-like animals, with a fringe of numerous
short legs on each side (Fig. 13, 13), and have a characteristic habit
of curling up when disturbed. Though scavengers for the most part,
feeding upon decaying vegetation and on small organisms, they may
do considerable damage to sprouting seeds, seedlings, and to tender
plants; they are particularly abundant in damp and warm soil, where
there is an abundance of rotting vegetable matter.
Having a keen sense of smell, millepedes are readily attracted to
poisoned bait in the form of sliced potato spread with Paris green:
another method is to place a piece of freshly-cut potato under an
inverted flower pot, to which the millepedes will be attracted, when
they can be collected and destroyed. A satisfactory control measure
is to treat infested soil with black-leaf 40, using one part in one
thousand parts of water.
Slugs and Snails.
Plants are very often greatly damaged by the depredations of slugs and
snails; frequently young plants are devoured as soon as they appear
above ground. These animals attack the plants after nightfall, and
during the day seek cover. Though slugs will shelter in the soil,
they, together with snails, will shelter in any convenient place,
such as under old boards, sacking, bricks and stones upon the ground,
or under large leaves or amongst rank herbage--indeed, in almost any
place that affords cover and moisture. Slugs and snails are especially
active during wet weather, and at such times, owing to the overcast
conditions, they will continue their depredations in the daytime.
Though slugs are active throughout the year, and even during winter
when the temperature is favourable, snails pass the winter, as well
as hot, dry spells in summer, in a dormant state, often being found
together in sheltered positions where the conditions are dry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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